Growing Sustainability One Flower at a Time

Author

Hayley Gatlin

Strategic Creative Director, Central Services, PRA

Hayley.Gatlin@pra.com

I’ve always had an affinity for nature and the planet, feeling deeply connected. It really hit me when I realized how wasteful the industry—that I love working in—can be.

When designing an event, you’re focused on bringing a vision to life in a standout way. You’re not thinking about what happens to all the elements used to transform an idea into an experience—the paper, plastics, food, beverages, florals. But when you’ve designed it, and then get to be on site for operations, it opens your eyes.

But there’s always a positive. And my creative, green heart saw a possibility that could fill the gaps—and I made it my mission to do it.

 

Planting the Seeds

As a core member of the PRA’s Green Team, my personal passion for sustainability has taken shape around floral reuse and composting. Sustainability can feel very nebulous, almost like an empty phrase being tossed around. It’s overwhelming—where do you start? I’ve learned the secret is doing what you can, when you can. I started with what I saw as the most impactful, low-hanging fruit—floral reuse and composting. I wanted to give those beautiful stems a second life.

 

Sprouting Roots in Maui

My floral composting program was planted in Maui—almost by chance.

I work in the Hawaii region and am very connected with the team and local partners, including local florists.

About a year ago, I was chatting with one of them, bonding over our shared passion for sustainability. She was already composting at a local facility, plus donating where she could.

My eyes opened wide, “Wait,” I said, “You’re already here working with us. Could you take these florals and do your thing with them?” When she immediately said yes, it felt serendipitous.

I’ve been working with her ever since on my heavy floral programs in Maui. After a program, she picks up the florals, and delivers them to a local composter, or donates them to various community programs or public organizations, giving them another life.

Future Growth

Right now, I’m focused on the Hawaiian Islands—Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island—because that’s where I often work and like the locals, I feel a sense of “Aloha ’Āina” which in Hawaiian means love of the land.

Given Hawaii’s fixed, fragile ecosystem and clients coming there for extravagant florals, the opportunity and the responsibility feel bigger there. I’ve already visited local composting farms and floral reuse partners on each island to make connections in person.

But I’m already reaching beyond Hawaii. For a large-scale program in Nashville, I partnered with a local composting company, they picked up the florals, and…That’s it. That’s the whole process. I knew then: This can happen in any destination—Florida, Texas, California, Arizona—using a lot of fresh florals. These markets are on my radar, and I’m working through them strategically.

I’m also getting more creative with it: I’m collaborating with the local team, exploring a partnership with a local animal rescue farm on Oahu, where we could donate organic, pesticide-free, locally sourced edible florals and greenery for the animals to actually eat after the event—think “floral feast.” It’s still taking shape, but it’s exactly the kind of possibility that gets my green dreams going.

 

Scaling the Growth

My ultimate vision? Floral composting and reuse become a PRA standard—not just when a client asks for it, but proactively, for every program where it makes sense. A non-negotiable part of how we do business, leading the way to sustainability in our industry.

I sit on PRA’s centralized creative team, which means I work with local teams across the country. My plan is to do the front-end legwork—identifying composting partners, donation partners, and floral reuse resources market by market—and then hand that off to the local teams so it’s as easy as possible for them to put into practice.

It would be another genuine differentiator for our clients. Because here’s the truth: our clients are asking more than ever about how we integrate sustainable practices into our experiences. They’re looking to us to lead. This is just one way we’re doing it.

 

In the Weeds

Before you dive in, there are some important tips to know about composting florals:

• Work with a commercial composting facility—not a backyard bin.
• Commercial composters get their piles up to around 140—160 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to break down the pesticides and chemical residues that florals often carry.
• Most reputable composters hit those temps routinely, but it’s always worth asking when you’re vetting a new partner.

The resulting compost is a nutrient-dense mixture that improves soil structure, increases moisture retention, boosts plant health, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. It’s distributed back into local communities: farms, gardens, family yards. They end up growing more local flora. Talk about full circle.

If composting isn’t accessible in your market yet, donation is just as meaningful. Senior living facilities, schools, hospitals, and women’s shelters are good alternatives.

 

Step Into a Creative Challenge

Here’s my challenge to you: Get creative. Composting and donation are just the beginning. At your next event, could you:

• Reuse the florals the next day for an event activation like flower pressing?
• Turn them into biodegradable confetti for your final night celebration?
• Donate them to a local artist to create natural dyes or essential oils?
• Fun Fact: Did you know floral waste can even be turned into paper?

The possibilities are vast. They don’t need to be earth-shattering or perfect.

You just need to start. You can start small. Just like I am with my flower composting program—she’s got short, stubby legs right now—but she’s moving, she’s walking, and she’s going to start running soon.

I’m keeping my rose-colored glasses on, staying hopeful, and doing what I can when I can. Join me. The earth will thank us for it.